Sydney Dance Company - ORB

After work, I went to Arts Centre to see my favourite dance company. I'm not joking when I say the biggest attraction of living in Sydney is probably to see these dancers on a regular basis. Here in Melbourne, we can see them only once a year. Still, I'm very grateful for this opportunity.

 

What a wonderful evening it was! 

Two pieces, 'Full Moon' by a guest choreographer Cheng Tsung-lun from Taiwan, and 'Ocho (Spanish for number 8)' by Rafael Bonachela, creative backbone of the company, are kind of Siamese twins. They complement each other visually and artistically so well that I'd say this program is one of the best I've ever seen. 

Full Moon is full of poetic narratives with beautiful and elegant costume design. Its Asian influence is obvious throughout. I particularly liked a section where all dancers move gracefully in unison. 

Ocho, on the other hand, is bombastic, fitting perfectly to apocalyptic desolation in nuclear age. I just couldn't help but think of paintings by Rick Amor while watching this, particularly from its set design. A destitution of human connections in a soulless urban landscape. 

Thunderous soundtrack with matching light design enhance this bleak imagination.  

It's astonishing to see the eight dancers punishing their body to its limit to create Rafael's vision on stage. And it all seems so effortless. 

However, there's a hope waiting towards the end. The atmosphere changes with the introduction of superbly rendered vocal performance by Rrawun Maymuru. With a beaming orange light coming from the side, all dancers very slowly start to walk towards it. Is it a sunrise or sunset? 

I said "a hope". That is what I believe.